Lad na is a Lao-Chinese noodle dish prepared using wide rice noodles. The dish also includes meat (either chicken, beef, pork or tofu) and several vegetables, such as Chinese kailan and straw mushrooms.
However, broccoli is often used as a substitute for kailan. Seasonings such as sweet soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar, garlic and black pepper are also added to enhance the flavor of the dish.
As well as Laos, lad na is also widely popular in Thailand and Malaysia.
Origin & Cultural Significance
Lad na is believed to be of Chinese origin and was introduced to Southeast Asia by migrants from Guangdong province and, more specifically, from the Chaoshan area at the eastern end of the country.
‘Lad’ means to pour or to pour out, and ‘na’ refers to the surface. Traditionally, lad na was served as a street food dish during lunchtime. However, today it is easily found throughout the country at all times of day.
Lao Lad Na Recipe
Ingredients
For the marinade
- Pork or chicken (thinly sliced) - 7 oz.
- Tapioca starch - 2 tbsp
- Light soy sauce - 1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce - 2 tbsp
- Sesame oil - 1 tsp
- Freshly ground white pepper - 1 tsp
- Egg white - 1
For the noodles
- Fresh wide rice noodles - 7 oz.
- Water - 4 tbsp
- Dark soy sauce - 1 tsp
For the broth
- Neutral vegetable oil - 2 tbsp
- Garlic (minced) - 3 cloves
- Tauco (fermented yellow soybean paste) - 2 tbsp
- Pork or chicken broth - 3¼ cups
- Tapioca starch - 2 tbsp
- Water - 1 tsp
- Fresh gai lan (cut into pieces) - 2 stalks
- Baby corns (halved lengthwise) - 6
- Bean sprouts - 2 oz.
- Green mustard leaf (roughly chopped) - 1
- Soy sauce - 1 tbsp
- Oyster sauce - 1 tbsp
- Freshly ground white pepper
- Thai sauce - 1 tbsp
- Sugar - 1 tbsp
To serve
- Vinegar
- Thai chilli sauce
- Prik dong (Thai chillies in vinegar)
Instructions
- Begin by taking a salad bowl and adding all the marinade ingredients to it. combine well. Throw in the pork or chicken and combine properly to cover the meat with the marinade.
- Cover the bowl with cling film and keep it in the fridge for about 6 hours.
- Next, take the rice noodles and untangle them.
- Now, take a wok and heat it over a medium flame. Add 1 tablespoon of neutral vegetable oil.
- Throw in the noodles, 4 tablespoons of water and dark soy sauce, and allow the noodles to cook until they become a little soft.
- Once the noodles start to turn brown and begin to stick to each other, transfer them to a bowl.
- Heat the wok once more over a medium flame and add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil.
- Add the garlic and cook until it lets out its aroma. Then add the tauco and let it cook for the next 2 to 3 minutes, making sure to keep stirring with a wooden spoon.
- Pour the broth in the wok and bring it to a boil.
- Slowly add the pork or chicken slices to the boiling broth, making sure they don’t stick together.
- Keep cooking until the meat is no longer pink.
- Now, take a small bowl and add a teaspoon of water and the tapioca starch. Mix to make a slurry. Once done, pour it into the broth, stirring continuously with a wooden spoon.
- It’s time to throw in the Chinese broccoli, baby corn, mustard leaf, soy sauce, oyster sauce, Thai sauce and sugar.
- Allow all the vegetables to cook for some more time until the Chinese broccoli is just about tender but still crunchy.
- Lastly, add the bean sprouts, combine, and instantly turn off the heat.
- Serve along with vinegar and/or Thai chilli sauce and/or prik dong.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 393Total Fat: 18gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 13gCholesterol: 59mgSodium: 1271mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 4gSugar: 8gProtein: 22g